[556x45]

Not exactly...the Russians were working on 'designer' bioweapons into the late 80's. That work included creating bacterias/viruses that had a combination of desired traits. One of those traits was extra fast transmission.

The other interesting note was that both the Russians and US were working on bioweapons that didnt kill...just incapacitated. That way they could take ground w/o necessarily killing off all (most) life. These weapons also werent easily transmitted after a certain period but before the toxic effect wore off. Its really amazing what the scientists and engineers of both countries cam up with.

[Conservomax]

Interesting theory. I have heard of such weapons which would have the intent to add long term chronic problem in a country as opposed to killing off people.
Chronic epidemics obviously have detremental effects on a region, look at Africa with AIDS right now, or China's parasite problem during the industrial revolution. The theory is kind of like the idea shooting a soldier in the leg so it takes two more to carry him off of the battlefield. Only on a much larger scale.
If this outbreak had occured in Russia, I would buy the leaked weopons thing, but given the region's history of being a hotbed for new nasties I am going to have to go with the old Mother nature theory.